hGH is a protein consisting of a single chain of 191 amino acids. The molecule is cross-linked by two disulphide bridges and the monomeric form has a molecular weight of 22 kDa. Recombinant hGH (22 kDa) has been commercially available for several years. It is preferred over the pituitary derived products because the product prepared from human tissue might contain infectious agents such as that for the Creutzfeldt-Jacob's disease. Two types of therapeutically useful recombinant hGH preparations are present on the market: the natural sequence, e.g. Genotropin.RTM., Kabi Pharmacia AB, and an analogue with an additional methionine residue at the N-terminal end, e.g. Somatonorm.RTM.. hGH is used to stimulate linear growth in patients with hypopituitary dwarfism or Turner's syndrome but other indications have also been suggested. The protein hGH must be administered by injection and there is a need for an oral available compound with the same biological activity as the natural occuring GH. The benzimidazoles falling under the general formula I are new with one exception i.e. the compound in formula I in which R1 is C.sub.2 H.sub.5, Y--X is &gt;C--OH, Z is N and R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and R13 are H. That compound is known to have anti-inflammatory activity from Singh et al. Indian J of Chemistry. Vol 22B, January 1983. 37-42. (Compound IId, IIp and IIu in Table 1).